


We Used to Love One Another

by x_thisismybeautifulshow_x



Category: Marilyn Manson (Band), Nine Inch Nails (Band)
Genre: Angst, Depression, Exposition, F/M, Feels, Hiding, Lost Love, M/M, Mechanical Animals Era, Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 19:04:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13887204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/x_thisismybeautifulshow_x/pseuds/x_thisismybeautifulshow_x
Summary: Mechanical Animals era. Manson is engaged to Rose and all seems great with the world. He has a hit album, a new image, a new guitarist, a new tour, life is pretty good for the artist formerly known as the Antichrist Superstar.Except for one thing.Him.Trent.(Heavy angst Manznor sadness/potential silver lining)





	We Used to Love One Another

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HalosandSeeds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalosandSeeds/gifts), [Trent_In_A_Tree](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trent_In_A_Tree/gifts), [GirlWhoLovesMonsters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlWhoLovesMonsters/gifts).



> I've had this idea in my head for a couple months and stopped and started it twice. I have no idea if it's going to grow into multichaptered monstrosity or stay a oneshot.  
> Anyway, enjoy the angst and the exposition. Heavy on the exposition (sorry).
> 
> Title from "Great Big White World" by Marilyn Manson

Summer 1998  
After creating a monster, going to hell and back, now he is saving the world. Or something. His new glammed out image was a shock in a different way to the masses who consumed music, starting with the cover of that album. A complete departure from the norm, nobody expected that. Genderless, featureless, except the breasts. 

He knew he was going to alienate a majority of the ones who came aboard for Antichrist Superstar. It was necessary, however, to now become a savior to rock n roll, rather than a devil. Part of the image involved her.

Rose.

She was beautiful, no doubt. A rose by any other name should smell as sweet, and he should know. One of the biggest actresses in the industry at the time, she provided a major boost to his image and his ego.   
When they made love, she cried. Perhaps she knew he was not totally there for her. His mind was still on someone he left behind.

And so she tried to ingratiate herself, be the consort of the shock rocker that she knew she had to be. That bracelet dress was only the beginning. Perhaps she was trying too hard, but she knew that her man had a one track mind and he took some convincing. He was not easily swayed. 

It was poetry, really. The bad boy trying to go good, or at least not get blown up by crazy fanatics. The good girl who was going bad to keep her man when she knew it was probably futile.  
Deep down inside, he knew the truth. The only thing missing was Trent.

He could run away from everything he created thus far, but truthfully, he was running away from Trent and all that reminded him of Trent. That was the truth behind the change. That was the reason for the new sound and image, the rock n roll savior after the destruction. Anything less than perfection reminded him too much of messy sheets rolled around in, dirty fucking late at night, stolen kisses and messed up hair. Trying to fix their clothes in a minute or less before someone caught them. The true destruction of the Antichrist Superstar had come when he and Trent parted ways. It was a nasty goodbye and truthfully, Brian didn't think he would ever speak to him again. That hurt more than anything else. The hurt was more than he could deal with, so he shoved it inside and continued on, threw himself on his fiance and pretended like he didn't care.  
The truth was, he cared too much.

And as for Trent? Well, he kept Brian's number. There were times he itched to dial it. Seven digits. So easy. But the words they parted with, how do you even go back? 

I don't care if you die. I don't want to see you again. You mean nothing to me. I hope you burn in hell.

How do you come back from that and pretend like all is well and forgiven? Besides, all seemed well and good with Rose. She seemed like she fit in quite well with the band. John5 seemed to adore her, but then he liked most women that had breasts. That bracelet of a dress certainly didn't help matters.   
What doesn't kill you is going to leave a scar indeed. And certainly, if they survived each other, they have battle wounds.   
Brian, thought Trent. Stop running. I love you. I was a coward and missed my chance. And now I regret it.

Halfway across the country, Marilyn Manson and his band were at some event or another and Brian Warner was talking to the camera about the usual subjects. He had to catch himself when he started to speak about how much he missed Trent and those stolen moments. Fuck, he thought. God damn. I fucked up.  
Forgive me Trent. I hope you know I fucked up.


End file.
